Ali and George, living it up; Mel Gibson's Washington power play

http://www.jewishworldreview.com |WASHINGTON Future daytime television host Ali
Wentworth is slapping down the New York Post's attempt to drive a wedge
between her and ABC News "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos, her
husband of 1 and 1/2 years.

"My first reaction was to laugh. . . . This stuff is for
wrapping fish," the 37-year-old Washington resident told us in response to
Tuesday's story headlined "Success Strains Ali & George." The tabloid
claimed the parents of 10-month-old Elliott Anastasia are wracked by
competitive discord over the 42-year-old Stephanopoulos's sinking ratings
and Wentworth's potential hit, "Living It Up With Ali & Jack," scheduled for
a Sept. 15 debut with co-host Jack Ford. The story added that Stephanopoulos
"got really annoyed" when the paparazzi at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's New
York book party last month asked him to move out of the way so they could
take pictures of Wentworth.

"George was laughing about that," she told us. "He's really
excited about my show. He's the one who persuaded me to do it when I was
eight months pregnant. . . . How many people do you know in a strained
marriage who are making love twice a day?"

Really? We're impressed.

"Well, let me tell you, we're still in our honeymoon phase."

MEL GIBSON'S WASHINGTON POWER PLAY

Movie star Mel Gibson  under fire for his still-unreleased
film that graphically portrays the crucifixion of Jesus  this week
screened a rough cut of "The Passion" for a select group of Washington
pundits, clergymen and at least one White House staffer.

"I've heard people talking about how I can't get a distributor,"
the casually dressed Gibson  sporting sandals and white socks  told the
four-dozen audience members. "Believe me, I can get a
distributor."

A vocal conservative and devout Catholic, the 47-year-old
Academy Award winner has weathered accusations of anti-Semitism for the
movie, which is being produced by his company, Icon Productions. The
influential Anti-Defamation League, which monitors incidents of
anti-Semitism, has been especially critical, pointing out on its Web site
the long historical relationship between passion plays and attacks on Jews:
"ADL has serious concerns regarding Mr. Gibson's 'The Passion' and asks:
Will the final version of 'The Passion' continue to portray Jews as
blood-thirsty, sadistic and money-hungry enemies of Jesus?"

Monday's secret two-hour screening at the Motion Picture
Association of America included columnists Peggy Noonan, Cal Thomas and Kate
O'Beirne; conservative essayist Michael Novak; President Bush's abortive
nominee for labor secretary, Linda Chavez; staff director Mark Rodgers of
the Senate Republican conference chaired by Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.;
former Republican House member Mark Siljander of Michigan; and White House
staffer David Kuo, deputy director of the Office of Faith-Based and
Community Initiatives.

"I find this sad," said ADL National Director Abraham Foxman,
who hasn't been permitted to see the movie. "Here's a man who appeals to the
mass audience, but he feels he has to surround himself with a
cordon sanitaire of people who back him theologically."

When the lights came up, many in the audience  who were
required to sign a confidentiality agreement before being admitted to the
screening room  were in tears. Some were sobbing, we hear.

"Heartbreaking," Michael Novak told Gibson. MPAA President Jack
Valenti was perhaps the most enthusiastic. "I don't see what the controversy
is all about," he told fellow audience members. "This is a compelling piece
of art. I just called Kirk Douglas and told him that this is the movie to
beat."

Another invitee, right-wing radio host Laura Ingraham, told us:
"I want to see any movie that drives the anti-Christian entertainment elite
crazy."

THIS JUST IN . . .

Getting their stories straight: We hear that Iraq war heroine
Jessica Lynch, who is suffering from memory loss concerning her ordeal in
combat, is cooperating with Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Rick Bragg on a
$1 million book deal for Knopf. This would be a big get for Bragg, who
resigned from The New York Times over questions about his reporting methods
in the wake of the Jayson Blair scandal.

Class Warfare: Passengers on Sunday's United Airlines Flight
844 from San Francisco to Dulles got a glimpse of the Washington pecking
order. Scrunched back in coach, their knees knocking up against the seats in
front of them, were White House political guru Karl Rove and Commerce
Secretary Don Evans. Stretching out his legs in business class up front was
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. "Who says Democrats are
anti-business?" Daschle spokesman Jay Carson demanded.

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